For kids and parents

PRIMARK have released a new unicorn-themed kids' clothing line - and prices start at just £1.50.The candy-coloured collection includes an "I am a unicorn" bag, costing £3, "sparkle like a unicorn" jumper, which is a total steal at £3.50, and a range of T-shirts, starting at £1.50.There's also a sequin unicorn T-shirt and a tie-dye tee, both costing £5, and babygrows for newborns at two for £6.Or your child can dress up as a unicorn with their own horned floral and sequin headband, costing £2, and there's even a "dream like a unicorn" hairbrush, costing £1.50.You can view some of the range here - and there's no need for parents to feel left out.Primark are also selling unicorn pyjamas, flip flops, socks, tracksuits and dressing gowns for adults.And, if you're lucky, you can still bag one of the £10 unicorn pool floats - which are the must-have items of this summer.The budget shop is even stocking unicorn candles, water bottles and lights … [Read more...] about Primark launch a candy coloured ‘unicorn uniform’ for kids… and prices start at £1.50

PRIMARK are now selling a Batman clothing range for your little heroes, and parents are already going mad for it on social media.Prices for the boys' fashion line start at just £4, and it includes jackets, baseball caps, babygrows and T-shirt and short sets.The T-shirts are priced from just £4, while parents can pick up a maroon cap for £6, a top and short set for £7, or a babygrow for £6.There's even a super stylish zip-up Batman jacket for baby boys, which costs £16. See more of the range here.Primark posted a picture of some of the range on Instagram this morning, and it's now racked up more than 17,800 likes.One mum wrote: "ooh that shirt is gorgeous!" and another added: "devastated (it's) not in Ireland".A social media fan said: "I need them all", while one wrote: "Omg (oh my God) how cute though".Another lady said I "know a little man who'd love these!" and one teased her boyfriend to "buy these for our future child".If you want to nab a similar … [Read more...] about Primark are now selling a Batman clothing range for kids… and people are going wild for it on social media

GARY LINEKER is calling for a ban on homework as it is too "stressful" for children.The Match of the Day host reckons kids do enough work at school.He said: "Homework should be banned. All it does is drive a massive wedge between parents and children because you end up having to do it for them, and it’s stressful.“They get stressed and they don’t want to do it. They’re at school long enough as it is. Why do you have to come home and do two hours of homework?”Dad-of-four Lineker, 56, told Sport magazine: "I don’t think many people probably agree with me. But a lot of parents would, especially if you’ve had four boys.”The former England star is father to George, 24, Harry, 22, Tobias, 20, and Angus, 18, from his 20-year marriage to Michelle Cockayne, which ended in 2006.He then split from second wife Danielle Bux in January 2016 because he felt he was too old to start a new family with her.Ex-England striker Lineker has previously … [Read more...] about Gary Lineker calls for ban on ‘stressful’ homework as it ‘drives a wedge’ between kids and parents

AN ARTIFICIALLY intelligent baby monitor has got parents spooked after it emerged that it will make recordings of their children as they grow up.Mattels' Aristotle is tipped to be the "Amazon Echo for kids" but sparked serious privacy concerns during a discussion on US' prime time show Good Morning America on Thursday.It lets parents monitor kids from their phone through a super secure connection and can play games with tots when they are in their bed.But to become "smarter" the monitor has to record everything it hears – including questions from children – and send it back to the developers who will use it to optimise how Aristotle works.That's what has got parent's spooked.It's feared hackers will try to take over the devices and spy on kids.Mattel said: "Keeping families safe and their data private is of utmost importance to Mattel and we have invested much of our time and research into this aspect of Aristotle."It was developed by Mattel’s … [Read more...] about Mattel’s ‘Amazon Echo for kids’ Aristotle could end up spying on YOUR child, critics fear

A CHEERLEADER 'S death from bacterial meningitis has sparked fears among the parents who have children attending the day camp where she worked.Kristy Malter, 21, of Mount Pleasant, in the US, passed way on Thursday, and she was known for her caring nature, and was attending Central Michigan University.According to the Detroit Free Press. she was hospitalised on Tuesday.Malter had been working as a day camp counsellor and worked with approximately 219 children aged between five to twelve at the Life Time Fitness gym.Since her death health officials have been trying to contact parents to notify them.The company has been warning those who had children in attendance between June 1 - 11.Life Time was told Malter had been clinically diagnosed with Meningococcal Disease.In a message on Facebook it said: "Please be aware the Oakland County Health Division is directly contacting parents of children enrolled in the Summer Camp program who have been identified as having … [Read more...] about Tributes for cheerleader, 21, who worked at day camp for kids and died from meningitis

MATTEL has shelved plans to release an artificially intelligent baby monitor after parents raised serious privacy concerns about the device.The Aristotle was dubbed the “Amazon Echo for kids” but gave parents the jitters because some were worried it would store recordings of their kids.The toy company, which is most famous for Barbie, announced the gadget in January and said it would sing lullabies and tell bedtime stories.It would allow parents to monitor tots from their phones using a secure connection, even letting them play games with children from afar.But to become “smarter” Aristotle had to record everything it saw and heard – including questions from children – so it could learn from experience.Campaigners claimed this was a clear privacy breach and meant youngsters would grow up under surveillance.Others said artificial intelligence should not be used in place of real parenting.It sparked outrage after an appearance on an American TV show … [Read more...] about Mattel ditches Aristotle ‘Amazon Echo for kids’ over fears it could SPY on innocent children

THE number of obese children and adolescents worldwide has jumped tenfold in the past 40 years.Childhood and teen obesity rates are “unacceptably high”, according to the World Health Organisation.It analysed weight and height in 130million people, including 31.5million children.It found the number of obese children and adolescents rose from 11million in 1975, to 124million in 2016, with an additional 216million children overweight.In Ireland, ten per cent of boys and nine per cent of girls are now obese — and we are among the fattest in the world.Lead report author Professor Majid Ezzati said: “Over the past four decades obesity rates in children and adolescents have soared globally and continue to do so in low and middle-income countries.“This means that nearly eight per cent of boys and nearly six per cent of girls worldwide were obese in 2016, against less than one per cent for both sexes in 1975.”The researchers called for better nutrition at … [Read more...] about Shocking figures reveal Ireland are amongst the fattest in the world for kids and teens

HOME Bargains' Halloween costume range has hit the shelves, and prices start at £5.99 for your little monsters.The budget homeware store's limited-edition line can be bought either in store or online.The devilishly good costumes are available for toddlers from the age of one, while the cut-price kids' costumes fit those up to the age of 10.And Home Bargains are also selling adults' costumes from £6.99 for a little red dress - because the devil doesn't always wear Prada.Meanwhile, the spooky Frankenstein, ghoul, mummy and werewolf costumes for your little lads (all £7.99) come with masks included.But, if your kids aren't quite ready for the scary side of Halloween, you can buy a toddler skeleton or monster onesie - costing £5.99 and £9.99 respectively - for those aged one to four.There's even a spider tabard costume - with dangling legs and googly eyes - which also costs £5.99. Shop the entire range here.Meanwhile, parents have slammed these … [Read more...] about Home Bargains is now selling Halloween costumes for kids… and prices start at £5.99

What are the threats for kids online? Official advice on internet safety tends to focus on a few main threats. In late 2015, the UK government published measures to keep children safe online at school and at home. It includes "cyber bullying, pornography and the risk of radicalization" as major threats. It refers to "some school children, who travelled or attempted to travel to Syria, were able to access material about Daesh ["Islamic State" or ISIS] and foreign fighters via school computers." In September 2016, the German government advice listed the same basic threats, but replaced radicalization with the risk of "gruesome, violent imagery." And it's all true, but a bit vague, to be honest. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), however, dives right into the detail: "Children may come into contact with demeaning, racist, sexist, violent, hateful or false information." The advice is dated October 24, 2016, so it can be safely assumed the reference to hateful and false … [Read more...] about Safer Internet Day: It’s down to you, me, kids and parents to protect ourselves online

Who would have thought Halloween was an important social ritual? Who would have thought Halloween empowered children and helped them learn about western culture? Well, not I. But anthropologists say it's all part of "enculturation" - one of the ways in which we bring kids into the cultural fold. Halloween teaches kids about fear, evil, ageing and death... witches, ghosts, sweets even. And if the most recent developments are anything to go on, we're all learning more about clowns, and why they can be so darn terrifying. To some, the ritual of Halloween is as important as Christmas, a bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah, male circumcision, or the aqueeqah in Islam. And Cindy Dell Clark, an associate professor of anthropology at Rutgers University Camden in the US, says ritual is far more important than conventional developmental psychology has ever understood. "Conventional developmental psychology looks at childhood in terms of what children are going to become. It emphasises cognition, rational … [Read more...] about Power to the monsters: Why Halloween is a psychological ritual for kids and adults